get second highest salary in sql using cte code example

Example 1: how to get second highest salary in each department in sql

SELECT E.Employers_name, E.dep_number, E.salary
FROM Employers E
WHERE 1 = (SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT salary) 
        FROM Employers B 
        WHERE B.salary > E.salary AND E.dep_number = B.dep_number)
group by E.dep_number

Example 2: second highest salary in sql

SELECT MAX(SALARY) 'SECOND_MAX' FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE SALARY <> (SELECT MAX(SALARY) FROM EMPLOYEES);


OR

Here is the solution for nth highest
salary from employees table 

SELECT FIRST_NAME , SALARY FROM 
(SELECT FIRST_NAME, SALARY, DENSE_RANK() OVER
(ORDER BY SALARY DESC) AS SALARY_RANK
FROM EMPLOYEES)
WHERE SALARY_RANK = n;